Driver faces manslaughter in Umpqua Community College team bus crash
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The driver involved in a Coos County crash that killed an Umpqua Community College softball player and coach was arrested and booked for manslaughter after he was released from the hospital.
Jonathan James Dowdy allegedly drove his Chevy Silverado across the centerline on Highway 42 this past Friday and
Bus driver Jami Lea Strinz, 46, was critically hurt and later died at the hospital. Kiley Nevaeh Jones, 19, died at the scene. The 8 other team members 'suffered moderate to serious injuries,' OSP said at the time of the crash.
Vancouver woman accused of stabbing parents over 'Resurrection Day' comment
Dowdy faces 29 separate charges, including DUII and two counts of manslaughter. He also faces 14 counts of reckless endangerment, 8 counts of assault, plus single counts each for aggravated driving with a suspended or revoked license, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license and criminal mischief.
The crash itself remains an open and active investigation, the Oregon State Police said.
No other information is available at this time.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man gets life sentence for murder at Eastbank Esplanade drum circle in 2022
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A man was sentenced to life in prison with a possibility for parole after 25 years for a shooting death that occurred during a drum circle event three years ago. Wyatt Storm Belcher, 28, was . His sentencing took place Monday afternoon. On , multiple witnesses heard a loud bang and saw the victim fall to the ground at the East Park Esplanade parking lot while people were leaving a drum circle event. Family members told KOIN 6 News the victim, Ash Smith, was a in recent years. Police said Belcher and Smith . After the shooting, Portland police found Belcher nearby, as he was described by witnesses. A search found a .40 caliber Glock 23 holstered to his waistband. In May 2022, Belcher originally pleaded not guilty to the charges. Then in August of that same year, a j and ordered that he be committed to the Oregon Hospital. In 2024, after a psychological evaluation report was created by the Oregon State Hospital, a hearing was held as to whether Belcher was fit to proceed in a trial, and a judge ruled that he was. The Multnomah County jury deliberated for one hour before convicting Belcher. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cars, guns, drugs seized as PPB mission stops street takeover in tracks
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As temperatures rise, historically the Rose City has seen a spike in street racing. However, local law enforcement is cracking down on dangerous driving, conducting targeted missions to stop racers in their tracks. Portland police partnered with the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, and the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office to conduct more than 20 traffic stops during a proactive mission overnight on Sunday. Video obtained by KOIN 6 News shows several vehicles seized in North Portland. Stretches of North Wall Street and North Columbia Boulevard transformed into an unofficial finish line after vehicles were brought from top speeds to the back of a tow truck. Resident Jonathan Olson told KOIN 6 News his wife alerted him to the scene just outside their window around 1 a.m. 'She said, 'Oh my gosh, there's like, tons of cops outside. And I just saw one of them pull out a really large rifle,'' he said. 'It basically happened right here. There was maybe one car down the road, maybe a couple on Wall Street.' Olson said his family didn't see the racing, but they have seen remnants left behind on the pavement afterward. 'Obviously, it happens late at night. We've heard about it. We've seen the articles. We see the marks on the ground quite a bit,' he said. 'We honestly don't hear it much, but we know it's a real source of frustration.' Despite several attempts to conduct takeover events overnight, Sergeant Kevin Allen with Portland Police said, 'There wasn't a single intersection in the entire city that was taken over and blocked by this activity… Nobody died on the street last night, and that's huge.' In the past, Allen said street takeover events have become ground zero for participants to launch illicit fireworks into crowds of people, drug dealing, shootings, and deadly crashes. 'This kind of activity is not okay. It's not safe,' Allen added. 'It's not okay for the City of Portland, and the Portland Police Bureau is going to address it.' According to police, officers conducted more than 20 traffic stops and made four arrests during the overnight mission. Those stops led to the seizure of two firearms and more than 3.6 grams of illegal drugs, in addition to four vehicles — two of which are slated to be submitted for criminal forfeiture under Senate Bill 615. 'I think that's probably one of the most powerful tools that we have to really make a difference in this activity,' Sgt. Allen said. 'These street racers, they love their cars. And getting a ticket is not a deterrence to some of them, getting arrested sometimes is not a deterrence. But if they lose their car and they don't get it back, you know that's a powerful tool.' In 2023, SB 615 strengthened punishments for street racing to up to one year in prison and/or a fine of more than $6,000. According to Patrick Dooris, communications director for the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, between when the law went into effect in June 2023 and January 31 of this year, 'Multnomah County data shows that there have been 14 vehicle forfeiture cases. Five were dismissed due to process issues, four are pending forfeiture hearings, three were returned to a financial institution, and two were seized by law enforcement.' Between the new legislation and proactive street takeover missions, Allen said the bureau is hoping to send a strong message. 'If you're engaging in this activity, you might get away with it sometimes, but you're not going to get away with it all the time. Because we're out there, and we do put together these special missions,' Allen said. 'We're not going to tell you ahead of time. We just might show up with a whole bunch of cops and start putting people in handcuffs and towing cars, and we're going to continue to do that as these things pop up.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man gets life sentence for murder at Eastbank Esplanade drum circle in 2022
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A man was sentenced to life in prison with a possibility for parole after 25 years for a shooting death that occurred during a drum circle event three years ago. Wyatt Storm Belcher, 28, was . His sentencing took place Monday afternoon. On , multiple witnesses heard a loud bang and saw the victim fall to the ground at the East Park Esplanade parking lot while people were leaving a drum circle event. Family members told KOIN 6 News the victim, Ash Smith, was a in recent years. Police said Belcher and Smith . After the shooting, Portland police found Belcher nearby, as he was described by witnesses. A search found a .40 caliber Glock 23 holstered to his waistband. In May 2022, Belcher originally pleaded not guilty to the charges. Then in August of that same year, a j and ordered that he be committed to the Oregon Hospital. In 2024, after a psychological evaluation report was created by the Oregon State Hospital, a hearing was held as to whether Belcher was fit to proceed in a trial, and a judge ruled that he was. The Multnomah County jury deliberated for one hour before convicting Belcher. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
